County health departments running low on flu shots

Department of Health: Not too late to get flu shot

This flu season is in full swing with 484 hospitalizations in Oklahoma so far, according to an Oklahoma Department of Health spokeswoman. That number is up from 345 last week.

Now county health departments are experiencing shortages in the flu vaccine for adults.

A representative with the Cleveland County Health Department said they are currently out of adult doses, but still have immunizations for kids. The staff has placed an order for more adult vaccines with no word on whether that order will be filled.

The story is the same in Canadian County, where the health department told KOCO Eyewitness News 5 that they have no more doses for adults. The silver lining is that the county still has enough to treat children, they said.

Oklahoma City-County Health Department Public Health Chief of Personal Health Phillip Parker told KOCO that Oklahoma County still has 200 doses for kids and has between 700 and 800 for adults. However, that number is rapidly depleting.

Parker said his clinic is full of people getting vaccinated, but that fewer people are going to the Oklahoma City-County Health Department for their shots. He attributes that to the fact that other sources like grocery stores, pharmacies and doctors are now providing them.

Those from counties where there is a shortage can get vaccinated in Oklahoma County, and the process is the same. People should bring an insurance card, or $25 and a government-issued identification card. Parker said the ID is for demographic testing and data entry, and is not required.

Payne County Health Department said that unlike other areas, they have plenty of the shots for adults and kids. They ran out of the state-provided doses for adults and then pulled other resources to purchase another order. As of Thursday, they have 400 vaccines for adults and 200 to 250 for children.

The Oklahoma Department of Health said that it is not too late to get a flu shot, and that it is important to do so as quickly as possible to circumvent the shortage.

Health officials said that in addition to the vaccine, washing hands, using disinfectant, coughing into your sleeve and not shaking hands are the best ways to avoid getting sick.

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